RANCHI: A wild elephant has killed at least 20 people in India’s eastern Jharkhand state over the first nine days of January, authorities said, triggering panic across several districts.
The elephant has rampaged through West Singhbhum district, attacking villages at night and terrifying residents. Officials believe the animal is a lone male that has become separated from its herd.
The Jharkhand forest department has launched a large-scale search operation but has so far failed to track or capture the elephant.
Officials said the animal killed 13 people in two days, pushing the death toll sharply higher.
The attacks began in early January, when the elephant entered villages and attacked people inside their homes. Several victims belonged to the same families.
On January 12, the elephant killed two more people before moving into the neighbouring state of Odisha, officials said.
Authorities have deployed specialised wildlife teams, including units from neighbouring states, to help locate and tranquilise the animal.
Forest officials suspect the elephant may be in musth, a period of heightened aggression in male elephants caused by hormonal changes.
Experts say deforestation and shrinking wildlife corridors have intensified human-elephant conflict, increasing the risk of such attacks.
“The elephant is extremely difficult to track,” a Jharkhand forest department spokesperson told local media. “It moves through dense forests and crosses state borders, making it hard to corner.”
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Authorities have urged residents to remain alert and avoid areas where the elephant has been sighted.
The state has also set up a special task force to coordinate the search and protect local communities.
